Beet-cultivator.



No. 823,338- PATENTED JUNE 12,1906.

A. LARSEN.

BEET GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

flWdTzfQZafJezz witness at ioznu No. 828,338. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. A.LARSEN.

BEET GUL TIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SEEP. 2

WIN. a. GRAN cu. MYO-LIIHOGRAPMERS, WASHINGYON UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed November '7, 1905. Serial No. 286,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREE LARSEN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Stirling Alta, North-West Territories, Canada, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Beet-Cultivators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

' This invention relates to improvements in 'beet-cultivators.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction of cultivatorby which the beets may be conveniently and simultaneously blocked andcultivated and wherein the operating parts are made readily adjustableto suit different conditions of service.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a beetblocker and cultivator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a detail perspective view of the racktoothed yoke, cooperatingsleeve, and adjacent portion of the beam-carrying bar in disassociatedrelation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1designates the supporting-frame, preferably rectangular in form andprovided with hangers 2, in which a transverse axle 3 is journaled. Theaxle extends beyond the sides of the frame, and upon the ends thereofsupporting-wheels 4 are loosely mounted. The axle receives motion. fromthe wheels, the hubs of the latter being provided with ratchet-teeth 5for engagement with dogs 6, carried by the axle, whereby provision ismade in the usual manner to permit turning of the cultivator. A driversseat 7 is suitably supported upon the frame.

Fixed to a bar 8 in rear of the axle are guide-brackets 9, three innumber, arranged,

respectively, in the center and on opposite sides of the center line ofthe frame. The bar 8 extends transversely of the frame and is arrangedto reciprocate in bearings 10 and carries at one end a transverseguide-pin 11, carrying rollers 12 and 13. The roller 12 travels in thegroove of an operating-cam 14, fixed to the adjacent end of the axle 3,whereby in the movement of the machine the bar 8 will be reciprocated.The roller 13 travels as the bar reciprocates in a guideslot 15, formedin a stationary guide-bracket 16, which bracket carries at its outer endan arm 17, provided Witha friction-roller 18 to engage the beveled outerextremity 19 of the bar at the limit of outward motion of the latter fora purpose presently described. The brackets 9 are apertured to formvertical guide-passages for the reception of the shanks 20 ofvertically-adjustable blocking or thinning knives 21, 22, and 23, whichaccordingly coincide with reference to their arrangement to the centerline of the frame with the brackets. Each shank 20 is provided withrack-teeth 23, adapted to be engaged by a spring-actuated dog or pawl24, carried by its supporting-bracket, whereby the knives may bevertically adjusted relative to the ground-line and blocked in adjustedposition. Each shank is further provided at its upper end with a handle25, by which it may be conveniently manipulated by the driver on theseat 7. When the bar 8 is reciprocated, the cutters will reciprocatetherewith transversely of the frame to thin out and block the plants inthe row in the manner readily understood. By arranging theblocking-knives as shown and described one of the terminal knives of theseries, such as the knife 22, may be elevated out of operation when thecultivator is traveling in one direction Over the field, while saidterminal cutter may be lowered and the other terminal cutter 23 raisedwhen the cultivator is traveling in the opposite direction. Thus thecentral blocking-knife and one or the other of the terminalcutting-knives of the series will be simultaneously operated while theother cutting-knife remains inactive, thus providing for a properarrangement and operation of the knives across a row when the cultivatoris respectively traveling up and down the rows.

It will be observed that the arm 17 reinforces the guide-pin 1 1 in theaction of guiding the bar 8 at the limit of outward motion of said barunder the o eration of the cam, and it will be understoo that in courseof time the bearings and guide members become worn and allow the bar tohave some vertical play. Hence when the blockingknives strike and rideover lumps and other f obstructions an u ward pressure is exerted uponthe bar und er which the bar may be lifted in its bearings sufficientlyto cause the outer end of the bar, if it were unprovided with thebeveled surface 19, to strike against the roller 18 at the limit ofoutward motion of the bar and damage said roller or derange mechanism.By, however, providing the beveled surface 19, the lip of which normallylies below the plane of the roller 18, the end of the bar will be at alltimes guided into contact with the under side of said roller, and shocksand jarsprevented.

Arranged at the rear of the frame are bear in s 26, in which the roundedends or journa s 27 of an angular supporting-bar 28 are fitted to turnand slide. Fixed to said bar are the shanks 29 of cultivator teeth orshovels 30, which operate in the usual way to loosen the soil about theplant. Also fixed to saidbar is a pair of beams 31, arranged on oppositesides of the center of the frame and the operating projecting rearwardlyfrom the bar. Each of these beams is provided with vertical guide-slots32, 33, and 34. The forward slot 32 receives the shank 35 of aweed-cutter and ridge-forming blade 36, which latter is pivotallyconnected to the lower end of said shank,

the shanks of the two blades being pivotally connected at their lowerends by supportinglinks 37 to the forward cross-bar of the frame, thelinks being so connected to said bar as to have both vertical andlateral pivotal movement. The slot 33 receives a vertically-movablehanger-bar 38, jointed at its lower end to the rear end of the cutter 36by links 39 and provided at its upper end with rack-teeth 40, adapted tobe engaged by a spring-actuated dog or pawl 41, carried by the beam topermit the hanger-bar to be locked in a variety of adjusted positions tostay and support the cutter when the latter is adjusted to operate at adesired depth below the surface of the ground.

The slot 34 receives the upper end of a shank 42, supporting at itslower end a plow or shovel 43, adapted to throw the earth about thecultivated plant. Arranged about this shank between the shoulder thereonand the beam 31 or a sleeve 44, secured thereto, is a coiled spring 45,which normally holds and forces the shovel into the earth and maintainsit in position to operate at the required depth of penetration. Slots 32and 34 are elongated to permit the shanks 35' and 42 to have verticalslidin and front to rear pivotal movement, and said shanks are joinedand stayed at their lower ends by a connecting-link 46, which adaptsthem to have proper relative adjusting motion. Fixed to the bar 28 is alever 47, carrying a spring-actuated pawl 48, adapted to engage a rack49 carried by a bracket 50, fixed to the rear cross-bar of the frame,whereby the bar 28 may be oscillated to simultaneously raise and lowerthe cultivator-shovels, weed-cutters, and plows for working at differentdepths and to throw them into and out of operation.

The supporting-bar 28 is adjustable longi tudinally in its bearing 26 toenable the cultivator-shovels, weed-cutters, and plows to be shiftedlaterally to work in different positions relative to the rows and centerline of the frame, and to this end the bar 28 is provided with a sleeve51, non-rotatably mounted thereon and fixed against sliding movement bya set-screw 52, sald sleeve having terminal heads 53. Embracing thissleeve between the heads are the arms of a yoke 54, suitably made insections, so that it may be conveniently applied and removed, said yokebeing held from upward pivotal movement by an overlying stoparm 54,bearing against the same and fixed to the frame 1. The body of this yokeis formed with rack-teeth 55, engaged by a pinion. 56 on the rear end ofa shaft 57, extending longitudinally of and suitably journaled on theframe. The gear 56 meshes with and is driven by a gear 58, carried by ashaft 59, arranged below and mounted similar to the shaft 57. A lever 60extends transversely of and issuitably fixed centrally to the shaft 59and provided with terminal pedals or foot-pieces 61, arranged so as tobe manipulated by the feet of the driver from his position on the seat7. By this means motion may be communicated to shift the bar 28 andworking devices carried thereby laterally in either direction, and thearrangement of the actuating-gearing is such as to permit this operationto be accomplished without throwing unnecessary strain on the feet ofthe operator when such devices are in action.

From the fore oing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of thedevice will, it is thought, be readilyunderstood and its advantagesappreciated by those versed in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In abeet-harvester, the combination of a frame, a transverse supporting-barslidably and pivotally mounted thereon, cultivatorshovels carried by thebar, beams also carried by the bar, cutting and earth-throwing devicescarried by each beam, and each having a shank pivotally and adjustablyattached to the beam, means connecting the devices to move in unison, apressure-spring acting on the shank of the earth-throwing device, lockinmeans for holding said devices in vertica ly-adjustable position, andmeans for oscillating and sliding the transverse bar.

2. In a beet-harvester, the combination of a frame, a transversesupporting-bar slidably and pivotally mounted thereon, beams carried bythe bar, cutting and earth-throwing devices carriedv by each beam, andeach havin a shank pivotally and vertically adjustab ly attached to thebeam, a link connecting the shanks of said devices to move in unison, apressure-spring acting on the shank of the earth-throwing devices,locking means for holding said devices in adjusted position, anintermediate bar adjustably connected with the beam, a link connectingsaid bar with the cutting device, and means for oscillating and slidingthe transverse bar.

3. In a beet-harvester, the combination of a frame, a transversesupporting-bar slidably and pivotally mounted thereon, a sleevenonrotatably mounted upon the bar and provided with terminal heads, arack-yoke carried by said sleeve, a gear engaging the rack, means foractuating the gear to slide the rack and bar in either direction, meansfor rocking the bar, and cultivating devices supported by the bar andadjustable vertically and laterally throu h the action thereof.

4. In a eet-harvester, the combination of a frame, a transversesupporting-bar slidably and pivotally mounted thereon, cultivatorshovelscarried by the bar, beams also carried by the bar, cutting andearth-treating devices carried by each beam, each having a shankpivotally and vertically adjustably attached to the beam, a linkconnecting the shanks of said devices to move in unison, apressure-spring acting on the shank of the earth-throwing device, anintermediate bar vertically adjustable 0n the beam, a link connectingsaid bar with the cutting device, locking means for holding said shanksand intermediate bar in adjusted position, means for locking thesupporting-bar to vertically adjust the devices, and rack and pinionmechanism for sliding said bar to laterally adjust said devices.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREE LARSEN.

Witnesses:

W. H. SPACKMON, D. J. OEsTLEY.

